


Last Love Letter

by Misthiel



Category: The Great (2020), The Great (Hulu), The Great (TV 2020), The Great (TV Show)
Genre: F/M, HUGE SPOILERS, Hope, I'm Sorry, Last Goodbye, One Shot, References to Depression, Sad, Short Story, Spoilers for Episode 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:41:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25269274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misthiel/pseuds/Misthiel
Summary: SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 10 OF THE GREAT (2020)Some choices are difficult to make and certainloves, impossible to let go.---Her mind was in another place. Stuck on the woods beyond her bedroom's window. At the moment, Catherine was taking some notes on her desk, in utter silence. The sound of someone knocking on the door took her out of her thoughts, burning the forest in her mind.
Relationships: Catherine The Great/Leo Voronsky, Catherine x Leo, Catherine/Leo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 9





	Last Love Letter

**Author's Note:**

> I finished watching The Great a few days ago. It's a show I've truly enjoyed and the end didn't leave me indiferent. I'll be clear: it broke my heart. That's why I wanted to give this two adorable romantics one more story, to put it that way. One last goodbye.
> 
> I hope you like it!

It was done, she had made it. The only Empress of Russia, now she could fulfill her destiny of building a better country, but she was still absent. She had attended the formal meetings to secure her position as ruler, but she didn't pay much attention. She just... stood there and talked when she had to. The court thought it was a new severe attitude as Empress, but her closest friends knew that wasn't true.

Marial was happier than ever, a Lady again, so she tried to distract Catherine with stories of the court, telling her how things were changing. But the Empress just smiled and got detached again.

Orlo had been very busy closing agreements and dealing with the administrative chaos that a coup entails. Yet, in his little free time, he had been expanding the library and sharing with Catherine the new acquisitions. Books that in another moment would have amazed her, now seemed completely irrelevant.

But her mind was in another place. Stuck on the woods beyond her bedroom's window. At the moment, Catherine was taking some notes on her desk, in utter silence. The sound of someone knocking on the door took her out of her thoughts, burning the forest in her mind. She stood up and walked towards the door, calmly, and when she opened them, the tired face of a royal soldier appeared in front of her, escorted by Velementov.

"Do you need something from me, Velementov?"

The man hesitated; the Empress bearing still overwhelmed him.

"Yes, my Empress. This man here has a note for you. More like a letter." He tapped the guard on his shoulder. "Come on! Your Majesty can't wait all day!"

Catherine changed her gaze to the soldier, his steady hands holding an envelope slightly stained with soil.

"He gave it to me. Count Voronsky."

The Empress eyes suddenly came back to life. She held her breath and pulled the envelope off from his hands.

"Tha-thanks." Catherine took a step back and almost slammed the door in their faces. Her heart was beating wildly, almost on the verge of getting out of control. She hurried to her desk and opened the envelope with trembling hands. She had to blink a few times before focusing her eyes on the words. **His** words, hastily written with his ornamented handwriting.

Simply with the first line, her heart shrank and the world around the Empress ceased to exist. No Russia, no Palace. Just him.

_My dear Catherine,_

_If you receive this letter... Well, you probably know what happened better than me. I wanted to write these words so you have a memory of me, for I don't know how our farewell will be. I'll entrust it to one of the guards, who will take it to you. Be merciful to him, for he never sided with Peter. It's the one and only favor he could grant me._

_I am sorry. For everything I did wrong and for the things I never had the time to do. But I will not talk about what never happened, because the future is uncertain. Discerning the future and fighting for it... that was always your natural gift._

_Forgive my foolish heart, for I have judged you too much. The present is my most valuable possession, you know that. I've always been aware that a bad day could take it all away from me, at a stroke. And I thought I could live with it, until you burst into my present. It was then when I realized... I was not ready to lose you._

_With these words, I want to keep the past alive. I want to hold on to our walks under the moonlight or the fierce sun of summer. The smile painted on your face every time you taste an insane new drink or fruit I want to share. How your eyes light up with the fire of passion when you make a discovery, or an idea crosses you mind. Both your passion for the future and in your heart burn with an inconceivable force. I feel so lucky to have known both, to be able to see every inch of you. The sweetness of your reddish lips, the softness and blushing on your cheeks. Even now, I can still feel the touch of your fingers on my hair, how smooth you skin is, like the richest silk. I will keep in my heart those moments when, deep into the night, I tangled your bright blonde hair among my fingers. You must know, my beloved Catherine, there is only one thing brighter than that; your mind._

_Oh, you drove me crazy, you know? Of course you know it, you are too intelligent. With all your comings and goings, flying around the palace like a restless bird. The most graceful one, slowly cracking the bars of the golden cage that imprisoned us all. And you broke them. I know you have, because I might not believe in revolutions, but I do believe in you._

_You are a marvelous woman, Catherine. Great things await you and I am sure you will face them with all your courage and strength. I would have loved being there to see it, staying at your side. Helping the most wonderful woman in Russia to build a better world. You will do it, without me, but I will haunt you. I promise. Until the end of your days on this world. You know that at court, people arrive and disappears with the blink of an eye, and I am afraid it is my time to leave. I would like to ask you one thing, my beloved Empress, if you please._

_Don't forget me. Keep me in your heart, as I will do even after I depart from this world. That way, I will always be there, next to you. The mouthy count of the simple gifts._

_Remember: I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you..._

_With all my heart,_

_**Leo** _

A couple of tears fell next to the signature, slightly blotting the ink. She brought the letter to her chest to avoid wetting it more... and to feel him closer. With her eyed shut, Catherine cried in silence, cursing the moment when she had to make the decision to leave him behind, every second he had spent trying to change Peter instead of ending his life. She hated herself for that and will regret it until the end of her days.

In the darkness, she felt an imaginary hand on her shoulder and a smile appeared through the curtain of tears. " I do believe in you." It was like his voice was there, behind her. She opened her eyes but didn't turn around. Instead, she looked again through the window, to a sky painted with the tones of a coming sunset.

"You're right, Leo; it's not the end, it's just a new beginning."

Thoughtfully, she folded the letter, put it back on its envelope and hid it on her private notebook. While she wiped away her tears, the Empress stood up and with her shoulders back and chin up, she reached the door and opened it wide.

From the other side of the room, Marial look at her in disbelief. Catherine smiled broadly.

"Come on, Lady Marial! We've got work to do."


End file.
